Walt Disney Television is to axe US entertainment channel abc1, which also has a valuable Freeview slot in the UK. Disney said its inability to extend the channel’s Freeview hours into peak-time was a key factor in the decision.

Popular music website NME.com has confirmed a major revamp to its video content, releasing more than 50 exclusive backstage interviews through iTunes and centralising the site’s video archive in a dedicated channel. All the video content is free to download and watch, although publisher IPC Ignite Digital is exploring how to commercialise the services through […]

Virgin Media is exploring the possibility of launching a dedicated news channel with ITN as content supplier. The mooted Virgin News, which would likely broadcast on a 24-hour rolling format, would effectively complete the replacement of Sky's basic channels package, which was removed from the cable broadcaster's platform, following confirmed plans for general entertainment channel […]

DIC Entertainment has launched KidsCo, a joint venture children’s channel it owns along with Sparrowhawk Media and Corus Entertainment, in Romania, Hungary, Russia, Turkey, and Poland. The children’s brand management company said carriage deals have been signed in Ukraine, where KidsCo will be launched next month, and in Asia Pacific, which will receive the service […]

The English Football Association has put out the tender for the international broadcast rights to air live FA Cup and England home matches from 2008 to 2012. The FA is offering four overseas packages covering the FA Cup, FA Community Shield and other FA competitions, as well as England Senior and U21 matches. A bid […]

RRSat Global Communications Network announced that it has signed an agreement with Loral Skynet to offer distribution of video content to the Asian Market via a powerful digital platform using Loral Skynet’s Telstar 10 satellite. Through the multiplexed content delivery platform, RRSat customers will gain access to over 80 million cable households across 33 countries […]

JTV shows from around the world will be streamed in the UK through Tiscali under a deal with on-demand broadcaster JumpTV. The partnership will see JumpTV install its video players on the Tiscali UK portal in the entertainment section. UK users of Tiscali broadband will then be able to access TV from 70 countries. “At […]

Canal Plus has signed deals with France Telecom’s Orange, Neuf Cegetel and Iliad’s Free to supply content from some of its channels via the internet. Subscribers to the three Internet access providers will be able to view TPS Star, Cinestar, Cineculte, Cinetoile, Piwi, Teletoon and Sport Plus via ADSL.

Online video group Simply Media is diversifying into male-oriented programming, having acquiring a majority stake in online golf channel GolfBug.tv for an undisclosed sum. The group has announced plans to launch a suite of sports channels branded Simply Sports.

BT Group and Sony have unveiled new software that will allow gamers using portable PlayStations to make video and voice calls and send instant messaging. They said the Go!Messenger wireless software for Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game player was set for commercial launch in January 2008. In a battle for supremacy against Japanese rival […]